Educational Fun: Bird Feeders

Today began with a flurry of excitement; some new birds at the feeder. Immediately Chloe is grabbing our bird book and thrusting it at me. What kind of bird is it mom?!?!

Feathery Friends of Our Feeders

Chickadees

Blue Jays

A lot of Downy Woodpeckers {and one special one named Fred}

Unidentified Dove {see above picture}

Unidentified brown birds – shaped like chickadees but with no capped heads nor wing markings. Mom said that Oma just called them “snowbirds” though when I did an internet search with that term, all I got was information on seniors going south for the winter. Ha!

The very first bird we identified using our book was a red winged blackbird this summer at our pond. We’ve been identifying the birds and reading about their characteristics. We’ve also spent a lot of time ‘nest-spotting’ since the trees are bare. The tots have been enjoying this as well. Good thing Grandpa bought the tots binoculars!

A site that I’ve began to explore is A Home for Wild Birds though the guide has been our primary resource. Our beloved bird book is much loved, for it’s practicality as well as it’s sentimental value. It belonged to my Oma, who loved birds. As a teen I was often battled at the delight she took in birds, and all of God’s creation for that matter. But as I moved into adulthood I began, more and more, to appreciate her appreciation of the beauty and uniqueness of all creation. Now as the children and I marvel at the winged creations of our Creator and puzzle out the species, I think of Oma often.

When we bought this house, a lovely wooden feeder was in the back yard. We moved it to a tree right outside the front window so we can see it. We also have a suet bell up in the same tree. The feeders have been bustling with activity, much to the delight of all. If you don’t have a bird feeder, they are easy enough to make. DH has been talking about making one with the tots from a milk carton just for fun. A classic craft, imadeitso has a post with step by step pictures. {Pssst. and she is Canadian too!}

hi jennifer! thanks for linking to my craft. your little dove looks so lovely perched there on the feeder. i feel so lucky when i see a bird visiting, even if it’s “just” a sparrow or chickadee. they seem to be the most common, though we also get bluejays, robins, cardinals, a hummingbird (once!) and the biggest was this one!

happy new year, happy bird watching. nice to get a shout-out from a fellow canadian 🙂

Congrats on having a great day when it comes to spotting birds! Your way ahead of me for 2013. Good to hear you have lots of Downy woodpeckers, including Fred. My wife and I also have a female Downy woodpecker who comes everyday to our backyard feeder. If your interested checkout our posting of all the various woodpeckers we saw this past year across Ontario at: http://frametoframe.ca/photo-essay-hairy-downy-woodpeckers-northern-flickers-oxtongue-lake